The Hearts at Hogwarts
by Noblenumberseven
Summary: This is a story of how certain forbidden romances at Hogwarts came to be, mainly that of Ginny Weasley and Draco Malfoy, but it includes quite a bit of Harry and Hermione and many many more. A large romantic subplot. Summary is terrible, but please read
1. Chapter 1

**__**

The Hearts at Hogwarts

Gigglesweird00

A Ginny/Draco and Harry/Hermione romance story mainly, but with lot of romantic and adventure plots with some of my favorite or invented characters. I don't own Harry Potter and I'll prolly have to turn this story to AU after I finish the sixth book, but hey I can have fun with it now can't I?…..

A Deal and Dancing

_Two households, both alike in dignity, in fair Verona, where we lay our scene, from ancient grudge break new mutiny, where civil blood makes civil hands unclean._

The opening lines from Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet drifted easily through Hermione Granger's thoughts as she watched the entrance of fellow students into their Muggle Studies Class, twisting a long strand of her golden brown hair around her finger. In actuality there were 6th and 7th year students from each Hogwarts house, but Hermione watched with disappointment as Ron gave the entering Slytherins a dirty look.

"What's Ferret doing here? We all know he and those other Slytherin creeps don't want to have anything to do with muggles," he growled leaning over her desk.

"I suppose they are capable of getting just as tired of History of Magic as you and Harry, maybe even bored enough to take a muggle class." Hermione offered. "Malfoy hasn't done a thing to us since fifth year, give him a break Ron, honestly."

"I'll give him a break alright. How about a break in his skull? The only reason he keeps to himself is because his daddy is the murdering scum of the earth and everybody knows it.. He has to keep that good boy act on or everybody will think he's just the same won't they. Well, guess what, I don't just believe; I know for a fact he's the same. The apple doesn't fall far from the tree Mione, remember that. Why do you even defend him? Don't you hear what everybody says about him?"

"People change Ron." Hermione paused for a moment then continued. "Do you remember when your mother believed all that awful stuff Rita Skeeter was printing about me breaking Harry's heart in fourth year?" She suddenly asked.

"Yeah, silly woman believes everything she reads or hears." he said, scratching his head at Hermione's sudden curiosity in his mum.

"As you said so well Ron, the apple doesn't fall far from the tree." Hermione finished pointedly.

"What's this about apples? I'm starving." Harry had arrived. Hermione smiled as he slid into the desk behind hers rather than the one on the far side of Ron.

"Nothing Harry, just winning an argument." Hermione said with a triumphant air. Ron turned a shade of red and crossed his arms.

There were three of them and since sixth year they had run the Slytherin House. Nora Moon sauntered into the Muggle Studies classroom in between her best friends Draco Malfoy and Blaise Zabini. Even in their school robes they managed to look polished. Draco arched an eyebrow at their student prospects and began to lead the way to the back of the classroom. Nora followed the tall platinum blonde. She flipped her long black hair over her shoulder. She was a slim attractive and mysterious looking young woman with a scintillating white smile, blue eyes, and flawless skin. The dark featured boy who came behind her had dark brown, almost black eyes. Blaise ran a hand through his short crop of spiky black hair and sent the Weasel boy back a glare dark enough to wilt flowers.

They took three back desks.

"Not much luck in company this class," Draco sneered. Besides Pansy, Crabbe, Bullstrude, and Goyle and a couple of sixth years there weren't many Slytherins.

"That's fine with me mate, means we're the best lookin' blokes in ere'." Blaise said smiling and popped his collar. Nora cleared her throat with a grin.

"Something in your throat Moon?" Blaise quipped.

"No, I was merely alluding to the fact that you left out that Slytherin girls are by far the best looking." She answered knowing she wouldn't get it out of either of them. She smiled haughtily.

"Speaking of good looking check out the birds on Longbottom's arms." Blaise said nudging Draco and directing his attention to the door. He was referring to Ginny Weasley and Luna Lovegood who were being escorted to their desks by a very different looking Neville Longbottom. Neville had grown out his brown hair and had sufficiently slimmed up. He no longer looked a bumbling imbecile, though Draco would be the last to admit that. Draco's attention, however, was on Ginny Weasley. To tell the truth his attention had been on Ginny Weasley since fifth year when her rather nasty bat bogey hex had caught his attention quite well. At first he had been set on revenge, but past events at home had changed all that. He had admired her for a year now. He inwardly burned with what he refused to admit was jealousy when Longbottom made her laugh. The petite girl giggled openly, her cream cheeks blushing and her eyes sparkling. She tucked a long strand of her bright red hair behind her ear and took the chair Neville pulled out for her. He turned to do the same for Luna.

"You can't possibly mean Looney and Weaslette. They're Potter Fan club members. They're Gryffindors. " Draco said playing his false disgust well, while watching Ginny talk animatedly to Lovegood about something.

"Hey! Being in Gryffindor doesn't make them any less attractive. Mind if I hit on the blonde? I've never been partial for red heads." Blaise said taking a closer look at the distracted sandy haired girl.

"You're pathetic Zabini." Nora sighed in exasperation.

"Me pathetic for not limiting myself to my house?…Just because I'm not destined to a life of solitude like you does not make me pathetic my dear little ice queen."

"I am not an ice queen." Nora huffed crossing her arms.

"Oh yes you are." He argued. "Not a single boyfriend in seven years. In fact you scare the boys you attract. Back me up mate." he said turning to Draco.

"He's got a point Nora. Even the boys you attract you scare the daylights out of. You turned down seven invitations to the Yule Ball, you hexed Jordan Thames for attempting to kiss you last Christmas and you broke Caiden Hort's nose last year for smacking your bum." Draco told Nora shrugging.

"I turned down seven invitations from seven idiots with not enough IQ together to fill a teaspoon who would step on my feet all night and attempt to grope me. I'm pretty sure I made the right decision there and as for the last two, I don't like to be touched. Now get to the point of the conversation Blaise before I hex you just for irritating me." Nora said grumpily; she wasn't an ice queen, at least not in her mind.

"You couldn't get a date outside your house if you tried Moon." Blaise said coolly. For friends they were still competitive. Draco smiled and rubbed his palms together.

"Ooh, do I since a bet coming on?" He asked.

"Name your terms." Nora challenged Blaise.

"Have a date from another house at the Inter-House Party this Friday night in the Room of Requirements. You can only ask, in your case beg; you can't pay off or threaten your way into a date. Nobody else.." he paused looking at Draco. "Can threaten or buy you a date either. Have any of your own terms Moon?"

"You can't tell anyone about the bet and nobody, including you, can tell or pay someone not to go with me." She added her terms. "Now what do I get if I win?"

"You mean what do I get when I win. Seventy five galleons sound good enough for you?" He asked, looking at her confidently. There's no way he'd lose. A Hufflepuff boy would probably wet himself if Nora looked him over twice.

"Sounds good to me." She agreed. She would win and those galleons would by her a new outfit and a pair of shoes to go with it. She grinned broadly. "Do we have a wager?"

"We do." He agreed.

They shook hands and when wizards and witches shake, it's binding.

Ginny and Luna were talking softly about the party to be held in the Room of Requirements Friday night.

"Dumbledore even approved it as long as we use muggle music." Ginny said excitedly. "He said something about 'improving our inter-culture awareness'."

"Which means basically, WE GET TO PARTY!" Ron interrupted their conversation.

"Oh, 'improving your inter-culture awareness' is far more than partying Mr.Weasley as you'll come to find in my class." Their teacher had arrived and was smiling at Ron. She was a small elegant, beautiful woman with a Spanish accent and a dazzling smile. Her dark hair fell in waves to her waist and she wore a simple white cotton shirt and a long pleated red peasant skirt.

"Greetings class, I'm Professor Amelia Sonora. You may call me Amelia." She began.

"Close your mouth Ron. You're beginning to drool." Hermione whispered out of the corner of her mouth. Ron snapped his mouth shut abruptly and Harry muffled a snicker.

"Although we won't necessarily be "partying" in here." Amelia smiled at Ron. " We should have fun with what I have planned. You're going to learn many interesting things. The biggest thing we'll do this year is dancing." This was greeted by a groan. She ignored it and continued. "We'll also learn literature, art, music, and everyday life. Who's in charge of that Inter-House Party Friday night?"

Harry and Hermione, Head Boy and Head Girl, and the seventh year prefects raised their hands.

"Well, as a start of the term gift, you and your classmates have all access to my muggle cd's and records. You'll find them versatile. Miss Granger, as you are a muggleborn, such as myself, I expect you'll recognize some of the music. Enjoy yourselves."

Ron looked puzzled. Hermione smiled.

"I'll explain later."

"Ladies and gentlemen, our headmaster has informed me that in light of darker times our school mission this year is to strive to become unified, as a result your dance partner may are may not be from your house. To promote inter-house unity Professor Dumbledore has selected the dance partners for this term. The list will be posted at the end of this evening after dinner on the bulletin boards in each house."

This was greeted with a monumental groan.

"Oh, come off it! It's just a little dancing. You'll find it's quite relaxing after a while." Amelia told them, hands on her hips. "You all just wait and see."

For some reason Ginny didn't know how relaxing it would be if she were paired with someone she didn't know. She wasn't necessarily a shy person, but what if she got someone like Crabbe. _"Oh heavens!" _She looked down at her shoes. _"My poor feet." _was all she could think.

The rest of the class was then spent on class wide discussion of Muggle and Wizard entertainment. It seemed like time really flew in Muggle Studies, contrary to History of Magic where time was in temporary paralysis. The bell rang and the class was dismissed with a smile, a wave, and a "check your bulletin boards."

The day passed by in a blur of moving students, lessons, and assignments. At last the day drew to an end and the golden plates were filling in the Great Hall.

"I….I can't eat!" Ron whined hysterically. A shocked Harry watched as his friend pushed his plate away.

He nudged Hermione with his elbow and whispered, "Better write this down, Mione. Ron, here's refusing food." Hermione giggled, but then leaned around Harry to look at a very nervous looking Ron.

"Oh Ron, honestly, eat something. It's not all that bad." Hermione ordered.

"Not all that bad? You won't be saying that if you end up cheek to cheek with Crabbe or Goyle." Ron said flatly.

"Oh, but Ron…." Hermione started, but Neville interrupted her.

"Don't encourage him Hermione. This is my one chance to get the last chicken leg." He laughed taking the last chicken leg from its platter. "I expect you to be back to your old gluttonous self tomorrow though Weasley, otherwise I won't keep my new figure." Neville joked gesturing at Ron with the chicken and patting his newly toned abs. Ron looked thoroughly disgusted.

"How can you eat at a time like this? For all you know tomorrow you could be Millicent Bullstrude's stomping partner?"

"You're making too big a deal over this mate. Isn't he Harry?" Neville said smiling confidently at Ron.

Harry nodded, but for once in a lifetime he thought maybe he was less sure of himself than even Neville Longbottom. Some very embarrassing memories of dancing came to mind when Harry thought about dancing. The Yule Ball was a night he preferred to forget. Hopefully, his partner would be understanding to his lack of dancing ability.

After dinner Hermione rushed along with the boys towards the common room. Ron was desperate to know who he'd be forced to embarrass himself with. After bellowing the password, he barreled through the portrait hole. Startled Gryffindors cleared the way for him to the bulletin board.

"IT'S NOT HERE!" Ron shouted frantically. " I can't believe it's n.."

"Here it is." Hermione handed him a blue sheet of parchment that had just popped up on the bulletin board. Neville and Harry peered over his shoulder searching anxiously for their names.

****

Partners for Muggles Studies Dance session

Terry Boot& Tai-Lee Meshatari

Vincent Crabbe& Pansy Parkinson

Colin Creevey & Emily Hilton

Justin Finch-Fletchley & Millicent Bullstrude

Seamus Finnigan & Bethany Bartholomew

Gregory Goyle & Hannah Abbot

Dale Grover & Analeice Hart

Neville Longbottom & Nora Moon

Draco Malfoy & Ginny Weasley

Gage Naxon & Valerie Rose

Harry Potter & Hermione Granger

Emilio Santorine & Edgarina Talbot

Hector Santorine & Alison Doe

Leo Tanner & Jezzaree Marks

Dean Thomas & Padma Patil

Ron Weasley & Lavender Brown

Blaise Zabini & Luna Lovegood

Harry felt an a wave of relief was over him. If anyone could teach him to dance, it was Hermione. Hermione always understood him. He smiled and tried to ignore the fact that he had secretly been hoping Hermione would be his dance partner.

"Who'd you get Harry?" Hermione asked noticing the pleased smile on his face.

"You." He said simply. Hermione felt warm. He was pleased to be dancing with her and she knew how badly he hated dancing. He was happy about it. She smiled brightly.

"That's wonderful." She said and to her surprise, Harry gave her a brief hug. Before strolling off to talk to Kirk about Quidditch.

This exchange of affection didn't go unnoticed by Ron and he wasn't at all happy about it. Nor was he happy at the dancing arrangements. He had been hoping that Hermione would be his dance partner. Lavender wasn't bad, but frowning he thought _"Hermione would have been so much better. Why does Harry get everything I want?"_

"Ron saw Lavender approaching and shoved the list into her hands. "You're with me." He snapped and brushed past a very disapproving Parvati.

Who's Nora Moon?" Neville asked.

"That dark haired Slytherin chick that hangs out with Mal-ferret and Zabini." Ron said moodily. _'At least someone was worse off than him.'_

Neville nodded, suddenly not feeling so confident, but at least he hadn't gotten Millicent. _"Poor Justin."_

**__**

End Chapter

So what do you think? Review please….by the way flames will be ignored completely.


	2. Chapter 2

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The Hearts at Hogwarts

Lady Luck

Noblenumberseven

Draco Malfoy was doing his best to look unhappy and he was doing a darned good job of it. As he stirred essence of newt into his awareness potion he went through a mental checklist of things to do while dancing with Ginny Weasley. The three T's were coming to mind: TauntTease, and Torment. He mustn't smile, he mustn't joke (unless it was at her expense), and he certainly must not look like he was enjoying her company, but in the back of his thoughts another checklist sounded off as he began chopping the mang roots. Count how many colors of brown are in her eyes. Don't lose your temper. See what she smells like. Remember what she smells like. Be charming. Surprise her. Draco felt a hand on his and looked down to find Nora removing the knife from his clenched hand.

"Whoa! Slow down there, Turbo, you nearly took off one of your fingers. Something on your mind?" She asked, bumping him gently out of the way with her hip and taking over the root chopping before her friend maimed himself. She raised a perfectly shaped dark eyebrow at his silence. "Come on honey you know you can tell me," She cooed in a schmoozey baby voice then paused sending him puppy eyes of dark blue, after all they'd been best friends for three years now, she knew what worked. She also knew what was troubling her handsome friend. She'd seen the way his eyes had changed, how they followed the youngest Weasley across the Great Hall, how they'd flashed happily when he'd read the dance partner bulletin. "It wouldn't happen to be a certain red bird whose fluttering up your mind would it?" she grinned knowingly when he sent her a surprised look accompanied by a threatening glare. "I thought so."

"You just keep your thoughts to yourself Moon." he growled dumping the fine slivers of mang root Nora had made into their cauldron vehemently. She shrugged and muttered to herself just loud enough for him to overhear.

"Fine then, I guess you just don't want my help."

"What do you mean by help?"

"I've got a plan."

"What kind of plan?"

"A good one." she said slyly.

"Intriguing. Spill." he demanded.

"Ok, you know………"

* * *

Neville Longbottom was sharing a cauldron with Ron Weasley. He'd done so much better on his OWLS without Professor Snape looking on that he'd been accepted into the advanced class last year and even more surprising, he had passed it. He shocked most of his peers by studying and practicing potions constantly throughout the last year. His determination hadn't earned him any slack from the professor, but it was earning him a place in the aurors' institute. At the end of fifth year he had decided that being an auror, like his father and mother, was his role in life. After the incident in the Dept. of Mysteries, he worked out, he ran, and he practiced everything from jinxes to counter curses. He was sure he'd impress everybody at the next DA meeting, but that really wasn't his goal. His goal was to be ready, ready for the next time a death eater crossed his path. He looked up, shaking his hair out of his eyes and tapped Ron on the elbow.

"That her?" he asked Ron, jerking his head in the direction of a slender dark haired girl with olive skin who was chopping roots while talking to Malfoy.

"What? Oh..oh yeah. That's her. Slimy little thing isn't she?" Ron replied in disgust. His freckles seemed to flood together when he scrunched his nose up in distaste. Neville didn't respond, but kept his thoughts to himself as he observed the girl. He didn't find her slimy at all. On the contrary, she looked quite attractive. She grinned widely at Malfoy when he shot a dark look at her. If she could irk Draco Malfoy then she definitely had points in his book. He looked her over once more before returning to his potion stirring in the dandelion essence with measured accuracy. Their potion frothed purple, exactly what it was supposed to do, and Neville felt a small burst of pride as he filled their sample vial. The bell rang and Snape's sharp tones echoed across the dungeon.

"Bring your vials to my desk. I expect two rolls of parchment on the properties and uses of awareness potions by next lesson. No excuses."

Neville set their vial on Professor Snape's desk firmly as Ron ran off to catch up with Hermione and Harry. The swarthy professor looked up and met his eye. Apparently he was full of surprises lately, he thought, because he found himself meeting Snape's black stare with an easy cool. Professor Snape's lips seemed to grow even more thin as Neville slid the purple vial towards him and strolled away casual as day. He'd probably pay for it later, but showing Snape he wasn't afraid anymore felt so good that he could care less about the consequences. _Now for a quick lunch and to the library_, he thought to himself.

Blaise Zabini, womanizer extraordinaire, found himself quite entranced this afternoon, which was most unlike him. Lunchtime for him was normally a blur of faces, some witty banter among friends, and a quick meal, but today he found himself lingering over his meal so he could focus on one face, Luna Lovegood's face. He barely heard Draco and Nora's usual squabbling. She was very pretty he noticed. Although, she did look a bit preoccupied. For the past fifteen minutes she'd been staring at the Great Hall's ceiling, which was a bright spotless blue, not a cloud. He, himself must have looked pretty dreamy, because Nora felt the urge to bring him back into the real world with a sharp jab of her elbow.

"Stop staring. Just because Miss Dreamland won't notice doesn't mean nobody else will."

"Jealous Moon?" he asked grinning like a Cheshire cat.

"Not in the least." she said poking his rib cage furiously. "As far as I'm concerned she can have you. I'm far too attractive for you."

"Got a date yet then?" Blaise asked his aristocratic brows upped in a confident question.

"Patience, mate, patience is a virtue." Nora replied.

"Slytherins aren't exactly known for being virtuous Nora get used to it."

"You wouldn't do it." Seamus argued over his Herbology essay, his very badly written Herbology essay.

"I would so." Neville told him.

"I dunno mate, just cuz you have that new physique and you're a bit more confident, doesn't mean your confident enough to ask a Slytherin to the dance. Just think of what everyone else would think and even if you did get the nerve to ask, there's no way a Slytherin chick would go with you." Dean added his opinion. "I'm gonna have to go with my buddy Seamus on this one. There's no way you have the guts." The black young man was surprised to see a steely glint in his once mousey friend's eyes.

"Make it a bet then. I wager thirty galleons that I'll do it." Neville ground out thrusting his hand across the table towards Seamus.

"What do you say Dean, split it with me? I pay fifteen; you pay fifteen?" Seamus asked his best-mate.

"Sorry, I'm gonna pass." Dean replied, having seen what looked like sheer determination in Neville's eyes. "That's fifteen galleons I could spend on Padma."

"Humph…your loss." Seamus said, looking a bit put out, but he shook Neville's hand. "We have an accord."

"Good…no paying or talking anyone into not going with me." Neville ordered.

"Wouldn't think of it. I'm fair and so are you so I won't worry about you paying someone to go with you." Seamus said then returned to his essay, hoping Neville could help him on the rough parts.

From a nearby table Draco Malfoy leaned back in his chair, feeling mightily pleased with himself. He'd just found Nora a date. He knew she'd be happy, but he'd no longer be in debt to her for her brilliant plan to win over Ginny Weasley. He got up and quickly filled his bag, heading off in search of Nora. Lady Luck was on his side today.

* * *

Dean, who was doing an essay on counter jinxes, rose to find a better book. So far the book he had picked out originally had only managed to tell him the wrong way to do a counter jinx. Most of the wrong ways started with holding your wand backwards. How ridiculous. He passed most of the beginning sections, heading straight for the dusty back. The good books were back there. Most of the good ones in the front were checked out by other students. Looking along the dusty shelves, he saw a book that looked promising. While he was reaching for it he felt arms fold around his waist.

"Hey there beautiful." he said before even turning around. When he did, he was face to face with his girl-friend of eleven months, Ravenclaw, Padma Patil. She really was beautiful. Her eyes were an amazing earthy green and constantly full of thought. Her hair, a shimmering light brown, fell in a straight sheet to the center of her back. Her mouth, tiny and almost peach in color, was drawn into a small smile as he wrapped his arms around her.

"Hey yourself handsome," she replied smiling even more. She had a quirky smile and he loved it.

"I missed you at lunch." he said.

"I had to stay after to help a younger student in Ancient Runes. I'm sorry. I missed you too," was her answer.

"Aren't you hungry? If you hurry you can still make it to the kitchens in time to get lunch." He told her. Padma sighed and leaned into him. She loved it when he was concerned for her. He was so sweet.

"I'm only hungry for one thing." she told him breathily in his ear.

"And what's that, pray tell?" Dean queried, grinning lopsidedly at the tone of her voice.

"This." she said simply, then pressed her lips softly over his. She felt him chuckle before he heatedly returned her kiss, turning around swiftly and pressing her against the bookshelf. She loosened his tie as he scraped his lips across her jaw line.

"I'm glad you missed me, but after this you're getting real food." Dean ordered softly, nibbling gently on her neck. Her low mewing noises were the only answer. He grinned, proud that he could make her that pleased. He captured her mouth again, rocking her senses. He slid his tongue over hers in slow lazy motions that seemed to make her melt into him. He pulled away after awhile remembering he had to get her something to eat. Her eyes were heavy lidded and her lips puffy. Her hair was mussed from where he had slid his fingers into it. He cupped her cheek in one hand kissing her lips once more, chastely.

"I love you." Dean whispered. Will you come to the dance with me Friday night?"

"I love you too. I wouldn't go with anyone else."

"You'd better not." He joked taking her hand and tugging her gently. "Let's get you some lunch before Muggle Studies."

* * *

'_Who is Tai-Lee Meshatari anyway_?' Terry Boot thought as he strolled to his Muggle Studies class. He certainly didn't remember a Tai-Lee Meshatari. He was a tall built young man with stunning blue eyes and long brown hair. He had a spray of light freckles across his face; he liked the sun. He had a small bump in his nose, though he'd never broken it. He didn't like it.

He was the seventh year Ravenclaw prefect and the Ravenclaw quidditch captain. He loved quidditch and being outdoors. He was really quite brilliant, but being a Ravenclaw he didn't find his brain all that surprising. He was the quieter, more steady half of the amazing Boot-Naxon duo. His best friend and blood brother Gage Naxon was the louder, quite a bit more wild half. Gage was stockier and blonde with a square jaw and a constantly moving mouth. He was first to laugh, first to fight, and first stand up for a friend.

"Wondering your partner looks like?" Gage asked his silent pal. "Don't worry man, Dumbledore may be off his rocker, but he wouldn't give you a psycho. Look how lucky I got." Gage told him wrapping an arm around his partner, Valerie Rose, a curvy redhead, that they'd known since first year.

"Naxon if you know what's good for yourself you'll keep your hands where they belong my friend." She told him laughing then she turned to Terry. "Don't worry. I'm sure she's just fine."

They passed through the doorway to the classroom and then Terry saw Tai-Lee for the first time. She was a small oriental girl with astounding violet eyes. She smiled when she noticed his attention. He waved slightly, bashful that he'd been caught, and slid into a desk a couple seats back from her. Ginny Weasley whispered something in Tai-Lee's ear and she giggled. Luna leaned over the girl's desk laughing with them. Gage muttered out the corner of his mouth.

"Valerie was wrong. You're partner isn't just fine. She's gorgeous." Terry nodded his head.

* * *

When Draco Malfoy arrived for Muggle Studies Ginny Weasley couldn't help, but look up. Dumbledore was insane. That was the only excuse she could make for their pairing as dance partners. He locked his gaze on hers as he passed, raising an eyebrow with infuriating cool.

"Who was that?" Tai-Lee asked. Ginny smiled at her new friend. The young Japanese girl had transferred from the Pearl Academy to Hogwarts just last week. She'd been unable to attend any classes until today.

"That was Draco Malfoy, the honorary Hogwarts git and my dance partner." Ginny informed her. That was when Professor Sonora arrived, cutting Ginny's explanation of the family feud short.

She breezed into the classroom a wide grin on her face.

"Everybody stand up please." she ordered politely. She pointed at the empty desks. "Those won't be needed." With a slice of her wand the desks folded together and slid compactly against the wall. "Pair up with your partners darlings."

'She seems remarkably pleased with the circumstances' Ginny thought feeling disgruntled. 'She won't be so thrilled when it's all out war in here.'

She looked briefly over her shoulder to watch Draco casually glide toward her. He didn't walk, she noticed, he seemed so graceful it looked as if he glided. '_At least my feet won't suffer.'_

* * *

Luna Lovegood was not bothered by the fact that her dance partner was a Slytherin. He was a boy after all and human by the looks of him, which was more than she could say for some of the ogreish looking Slytherins she had seen. Her favorite Muggle playwright's words seemed to play in her head, of course in an old English accent. "A rose by any other name would smell just as sweet." For some reason she highly doubted that. Vincent Crabbe didn't look like he smelt too rosy or sweet for that matter. Thankfully her partner was not Vincent Crabbe. She found herself quite surprised when her non-ogre partner to her hand and kissed it in gentlemanly fashion.

" Luna Lovegood," he said. She gently pulled her hand away and nodded.

"Blaise Zabini," she replied. He smirked and nodded as well. She took him in slowly. He had dark skin; he looked Mediterranean almost. He had spiky black hair, dark brown almost black eyes, and a wide white smile, which he flashed her quickly before turning to face Amelia.

"Have you ever danced before?" he asked without facing her.

"In my head yes, but like this, no." Luna answered. He had learned to waltz at a young age. His mother was particularly fond of dancing. He'd been forced to learn, but turned out to be quite the natural, pleasing his rarely-pleased mother very well.

"Not even at the Yule Ball?" he queried.

"No. I was too busy avoiding mistletoe."

"Mistletoe? Didn't want to be kissed?"

"No. I was watching out for nargles." She told him simply. "Pesky little buggers, that hide in mistletoe."

He turned and looked at her once more an odd undecided look on his face. After a few moments he shrugged and smiled at her again. She blinked back at him with her very large blue eyes.

"Ladies and Gentleman please take the proper stance for close position waltzing as shown on the board." Amelia called pointing toward the black board where a couple drawn in yellow chalk was assuming the dance position and waltzing their way about the board. "Today we'll just be getting used to our partners and moving our feet at the right time. As dancers you must flow together, not jolt about."

"Shall we flow?" Luna asked and much to her surprise Blaise laughed. Bowing low, he replied,

"It would be my pleasure Luna." She half smiled as she had been expecting him to call her Lovegood for the whole term. He continued jerking his head in the direction of Ginny and Draco, who were obviously arguing. "Let's see if we can out flow our jolty friends."

* * *

"Just take the stance." Draco growled.

"But my brother is watching me." Ginny hissed back.

"And?" Draco questioned sarcastically.

"And we have to touch…a lot."

"Unfortunately for myself, yes we do, but the sooner we learn the sooner we leave and I am not failing a muggle class. So come here." he ordered pointing towards the floor in front of him, his eyes narrowing slightly. It had never been that hard to get a woman to touch him. Ginevra Weasley wasn't just any woman apparently.

"No. I'm fine here thank you." Ginny said assuming her own defiance stance, hands on hips and surprisingly a ginger eyebrow arched in a 'why don't you try and make me' look. No matter how much Draco found her beautiful at the moment he did not want to be shown up by Potty and Weasel, who were now safely taking their first waltz steps, but before he could begin to growl out more orders Amelia arrived at their sides.

"Oh Draco, Ginny do you not know the proper stance? Here, let me get you set up." She said pulling them together. "Right halves touching from the thighs up, go ahead Miss Weasley. There we are. Draco cup you right hand, fingers together, on her shoulder blade. Wonderful. Ginny place your right arm on top of his left. Your palm should be on his upper arm dear. Remaining hands together, clasp. There you go darlings. You're set. Now just practice moving together left, right, backwards, forwards."

"This is humiliating." Ginny muttered when Amelia strolled away.

"It's ten times more humiliating for me, remember I'm dancing with you." Draco sneered. _She smells good….hmmmm…wonder what it is?_

"Oh really Malfoy? Just two minutes ago you were ordering me to touch you. Sure do change your tune fast. Hormonal imbalance?" She asked matching him sneer for sneer. _She doesn't know the half of it. Merlin, she's got a backbone. _"My brother is giving you the evil eye as we speak."

"Watch what he does when I do this." Draco dipped Ginny quickly and she squealed with surprise, clutching his arm and hand tightly.

He leaned over her with a smug look on his face, just inches from her own.

"You had better not drop me." She growled.

"I won't. Wouldn't want to get you more dirty now would we? Or I might have to wash my clothes three times instead of just twice."

"Master Malfoy, Miss Weasley! Amazing technique, and you had me believing you could not dance! Ten points to each house." Amelia exclaimed from the back of the classroom. Draco pulled her back up with amazing grace. Ginny murmured all sorts of obscenities at him under her breath.

"Tut tut Weaslette, dirty clothes and a dirty mouth." He chastised. Her foot made contact with his shin sharply.

"Why you little witch!"

Ginny smiled and blinked her eyes innocently. "Terribly sorry Malfoy. When dancing things like that just happen. As for being a little witch, yes I am, thank you."

It was going to be a long term.

* * *

End Chapter:

I went way way way over my normal word count. So I'm stopping here but I'll probably post again today with the second half of this. I can't wait to get to the dance part. I'm such a weirdo. I'm going to try and keep the chapters under 2500 words from now on. Correcting my errors in chapter one as well. I called Luna a Gryffindor….shame on me…that's a big mistake….but then again I don't have a beta so plz don't let the smaller errors irk you.

Replies to:

Tawnyfawn: Hey, thank you so much. Read your story. It's very good. Glad you like Neville and Nora. I feel so bad for Neville sometimes that I just had to give him some slack in this story. J

Blackrougefillie: If you thought the first chapter was long then I blew that one out of the water…couldn't stop typing this time…lol…thanks for the review J

Alexandria J. Malfoy: Thank you. The luck is needed, lol.

Issalee: Hope this update was quick enough to keep the tears at bay. Would have updated last weekend, but we went out of town for the fourth of July.

What do you guys think of Padma and Dean? Had to have some romance this chapter….all the details were boring me so I had to some fluff in. Hope you guys like them as much as I do. How about Blaise? I'm trying to make him a sharp tongued gentleman. Am I succeeding? Lol

Toodles til later,

**NN7**


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